A Simple Vacation
by articuno127
Summary: Three crime fighters travel to New Bark Town in search of a relaxing vacation. Unfortunately for them, they stumble into another crime that they must solve.
1. Just a Vacation

"Why are we here Master?" the lucario queried.

"A rather philosophical question don't you think?" the trainer answered jokingly.

"I mean why are we going to New Bark Town?"

"To see Professor Elm, his recent publication has got me thinking."

"Chris, we are supposed to be on vacation," the lucario growled.

"How is this not a vacation Luke?" The lucario fell silent and looked ahead. New Bark town was coming up. Good thing too, only two hours from sunset and Luke was looking forward to sleeping in a real bed tonight.

As they walked into town, Officer Jenny looked at the newcomers. She stared for a long moment before returning to polishing her police motorcycle. _Just a trainer and his Pokémon _she concluded_. A bizarre Pokémon though, clearly not from around here and wearing a trench coat. I'll keep an eye on that one._

It was a reasonable first impression; Chris was dressed like an ordinary trainer from the t-shirt and blue jeans to the stereotypical large backpack. Luke followed just behind him just like any loyal Pokémon would. Unlike most loyal Pokémon, Luke wore a long tan trench coat and a pair of black boots. Then again Luke was not ordinary; he was slightly more than five feet tall with a sharp mind and tongue to match. Luke was not one to be underestimated those who did, trainers or Pokémon, rarely lasted long.

Luke gave his master a grin. Chris looked at him and shook his head. "Having fun messing with another Jenny's mind Luke?" Luke just kept grinning.

They were almost to the hotel when a boy ran up to them. "Hey mister is that your Pokémon?" he ask excited to see the exotic lucario. "I got my first today." He held up his poke ball with pride.

"Yes he is mine, but he is more of a son to me really…" Chris answered hoping to distract the kid and avoid the inevitable…

"Wanta battle?"

Before Chris could even answer Luke had unbuttoned his coat, thrown it on the ground and taken his battling stance. "Let's take this someplace less crowed" Chris advised while picking up and dusting off Luke's coat.

They walked to a nearby dirt arena by the Pokémon center. The kid turned and said "My name is Joey and I am going to be a Pokémon master." He drew his poke ball "Go Cyndaquil."

"Name's Chris." Chris stared at Cyndaquil. _A fire pokemon, young from the looks of it. Go easy on it Luke._

Luke looked back at Chris and exchanged a quick glance. _Don't worry Master, I will._

Cyndaquil showed no fear and charged Luke when his master gave the order to tackle him. Cyndaquil ran as fast as he could, but as far as Luke was concerned, Cyndaquil might have well been standing still.

Luke disappeared just to reappear standing on a nearby stone wall erected no doubt to protect nearby buildings from stray attacks. Joey then ordered an ember attack. But by the time Cyndaquil had got the attack off, Luke was gone again.

Chris just watched the show. _Luke is testing them, training them. They seem to work well together, trust each other… good. Cyndaquil is fast, given its lack of experience. Does not give up either, just like its trainer. Hmm… they may really be something someday._

Cyndaquil was wearing out. Before long the fire type collapsed, exhausted by his efforts to catch the illusive lucario. Joey ran out on the field and picked his friend off the ground. Luke reappeared by his master's side. Had he not been breathing slightly harder, there would have been no sign he had fought at all.

Joey looked up at the trainer and his Pokémon. "How did your lucario know what to do? You gave him no orders."

"I did not need to. After all the time we have been together I did not need to tell him what I wanted him to do."

"But why did he not attack?"

Chris glanced at Luke. Luke flicked his wrist sideways sending a tiny aura sphere into the stone wall. Upon contact with the wall, the blue sphere of energy detonated blowing a man sized hole in the wall. Joey and Cyndaquil's mouths hit the floor.

Chris gave them a moment to regain their composure. "The two of you have great potential. The most important thing you two will need is trust in yourselves and each other. Joey take good care of Cyndaquil. Feed him. Care for his injuries. Treat him like family. As long as Cyndaquil does his best praise him even when he loses."

Luke continued. "This goes for you too Cyndaquil. Protect your trainer. Stand by him even when he makes mistakes. Help him learn from them. As long as you two work together and trust each other you both will do fine."

"Now take Cyndaquil to the Pokémon Center. He needs some food and rest, but he should be back to normal by tomorrow," Chris concluded.

They said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Joey ran to the Pokémon Center with his Cyndaquil in his arms. Chris and Luke walked at a leisurely pace toward their hotel.

"So how did I do Master?" Luke ask. Chris placed a hand on the lucario's head and rubbed it gently against Luke's fur. Chris need not have bothered, his aura said more than any head rub could convey.

Chris looked down at his friend. "There is an all-you-can-eat restaurant by the hotel; I checked when I made the reservation." Chris felt Luke's ears perk up. Chris did not need to read Luke's aura to know how he felt about that.


	2. A Good Night's Rest

**The hotel room, two hours later**

* * *

_Why won't it stay down?_ Chris looked in the mirror. Despite soaking his raven-black hair it kept curling up as it dried. Chris stared at himself. He looked like an average teenage trainer, but in reality he was a water master, a very old one. He was part of an order, like the aura guardians of old, that worked in the shadows to maintain peace in the Pokémon world. Unlike the aura guardians, his order took great care to avoid the spotlight. Getting attention would inevitably result in the organization being hunted by organizations like Team Rocket which have overwhelming manpower and resources. Hence members of the order preferred to stay in the shadows quietly assisting others who fought their foes. That was his mission, but for now he was on vacation.

Given that Chris was a water master, it would seem obvious that he would carry a team of water Pokémon. Contradicting logic, he currently had only two Pokémon and neither were water types.

Chris stepped out of the hotel bathroom to see the two members of his team hard at work. Luke was doing one arm pushups on the floor while Robbin, a female swellow, was perched on the back of a chair keeping count for him. Chris need not ask what had inspired this impromptu workout as the T.V. was tuned to the P1 Grand Prix. Chris took a seat on the bed just in time to see a primeape knockout a hitmonchan.

Swellow cawed three hundred. Luke lay down on the ground for a moment before slowly getting to his feet. Chris stared at the Lucario.

"Training for something in particular?" Chris ask rhetorically.

Luke grinned. "That hitmonchan deserved to loose; he did not block at all. I could win that thing easy…"

"Assuming that primeape does not knock you out too."

"Is that a no?"

"It's a maybe. Now go get cleaned up, you still have dirt in your fur from earlier."

Chris watched Luke walk into the bathroom. _Always looking for a fight. A primeape no less._ Chris glanced back at the T.V. _That could not have been Ash's old primeape, could it?_

Chris dismissed the thought and took a seat by Robbin. He began stroking her head gently.

Robbin stared at him accusingly.

"Let me guess if I take Luke to compete in the P1 Grand Prix you want me to let you compete in a Pokéringer competition." The swellow nodded affirmatively. "Fair enough."

Robbin cawed happily.

"Only one more question then do you want to sleep in your luxury ball or out here? Robbin tapped the ball and disappeared in a beam of red light. "Good night then."

Luke came out of the bathroom a while later, after a long session with the hairdryer. He threw himself on the bed and grunted. Chris took a seat on the bed by him. Chris checked Luke's chest spike. Despite filing it down only a week ago, at Luke's request, the spike had already started re-growing. Thankfully, the tip remained dull. Chris stroked around the spike.

"Need a message son?" Chris ask.

Luke had been hoping his trainer would ask. Luke rolled over immediately so Chris could get to work.

"The problem with you fighting types, you have all these muscles, but the moment you stop using them they all knot up."

Luke did not respond. Instead he closed his eyes and let his ears lay flat against his skull.

"Hey Luke." An ear lifted up lazily. "Do you think that primeape is getting a celebratory massage?"

"I don't know, but I am sure that hitmonchan will not want anyone touching it for a while." Luke chuckled.

Chris finished the message and crawled under the covers. Luke got under the covers beside him, resting his canine head on the human's shoulder. Chris stroked Luke's head with his other hand.

"I almost forgot to ask if you wanted to sleep in your luxury ball."

"The bed is fine… besides someone needs to keep an eye on you and make sure you stay out of trouble."

"This coming from the one who causes most of the trouble."

"Good night dad."

"Good night son."

Chris fell asleep within a minute holding the orphan lucario securely in his arms. Luke was awake longer, long enough to feel his pulse slow and synchronize with his master's pulse. He fell asleep with a grin on his muzzle. Had he stayed awake longer he might have noticed their aura's synchronize too. One could only imagine how large a grin that revelation would have gotten.


	3. Two Pokénappings, One Rescue

The next morning they headed to Elm's lab. They approached the brick wall surrounding the building only to find police cars blocking the entrance. Chris approached the barricade to hear two of the policemen talking about a break in. Chris looked behind him to see Luke already walking along the wall looking for another way in. Chris sighed and followed him. Luke walked out of sight of the barricade and turned to his master.

"A chikorita has been kidnaped," Luke grunted.

"I heard."

"You know they need our help."

Chris sighed and then nodded. Luke scaled the wall in a single jump and extended a paw for his master to grab which he did. Luke lifted Chris up over the wall. With that they entered the impenetrable police perimeter.

They entered the lab through the front door to see Officer Jenny questioning Professor Elm. The exchange would have been comical had the situation not been so serious. Jenny seemed to chewing Elm out for "letting it happen again." Chris was not surprised; given Elm's nature this was probably not the first time one of his Pokémon had gotten lost or stolen.

Jenny spun around to see the two watching her. "What are you two doing here?"

Luke responded. "We had an appointment with Elm. I see now that Elm has another matter requiring his **undivided attention**." _And your security could use some work by the way._

Jenny was temporarily speechless. She raised a finger accusingly at the lucario and his trainer, but no words came out. Elm was not so easily muted.

"Oh yes, the lucario researcher and his talking lucario. I read all your publications on aura sight and its applications. One of which was using lucario to conduct search and rescue operations. Officer Jenny this is excellent, they can find the stolen chikorita in no time." Elm gibbered. Jenny looked first at Elm then at the two newcomers. Elm's recognition of the newcomers alleviated her suspicions somewhat, but she was far from convinced the two would be any help in the search.

Chris told Luke to get to work. Luke untied the expert belt from around the waist of his trench coat and blindfolded himself with it. His aura lobes rose. He took off out the lab running only pausing to grant his master time to catch up to him. Jenny and her growlithe chased after them.

Luke led the four to the outskirts of a small clearing where two thieves were busy packing their gear. Both thieves had bizarre uniforms and dyed hair.

"You are both under arrest," Jenny yelled.

Both grunts looked up just in time to see a flash cannon attack detonate. Both grunts were blinded and deafened (temporarily) by Luke's attack. Jenny grabbed one of the intruders; Jenny's growlithe tackled the other. In less than a minute both grunts were handcuffed and the chikorita was rescued. Satisfied that the situation was under control, Chris and Luke started to walk back to the lab.

"**Stop right there**," Jenny commanded.

They froze immediately.

"You can't leave… not until you give me a chance to thank you for all of you help." Chris and Luke sweatdropped. "I will meet you at the lab once I'm done booking these two. Lunch is on me."

Chris nodded and agreed to Jenny's demand… err… request.

They quickly walked out of Jenny's earshot.

"Jenny really should be more careful with how she says things," Luke blurted out.

"I am not worried about Jenny. You see those thieves? They both have green hair and uniforms with a G on their chests." Chris glanced around clearly concerned.

"You really think they are part of some new criminal organization?"

"Let's just get back to the lab. We can worry about this later."

* * *

**Upon returning to the lab...**

"…and the chikorita should be returned as soon as Jenny is done booking the suspects." Chris finished.

"Good, now that is settled I have a question I have been dying to ask you," Elm responded excitedly.

"Which is…"

"You have done a very thorough job studying the lucario species, but you have never published anything on lucario breeding habits. Why?"

"Well, there is always more research to be done, but to be honest my interests lie elsewhere." _Can you take a hint and drop it?_

"Not a problem, if you loan me your lucario I would be happy to research the matter."

_Apparently not. Chris glanced at Luke. _Luke was glaring at the professor; his paws were balled into fists. Chris automatically stepped in-between Luke and the professor using his body as a makeshift barrier. Chris' brain was busy searching for a way to diffuse the situation.

_How do I politely tell him "No way in hell"? _"Oh look its Officer Jenny." _Saved by the bell._

"Sorry I'm late. I needed Joy to verify that chikorita was unharmed, police procedure," Jenny started. "Ready to go Chris?"

"Yes, lead the way officer."

Luke was the first one out the door.

Unfortunately for Luke, Chris could not help harassing him a little. "But I was looking forward to having grand-pokémon to spoil."

Luke blushed so badly that his fur looked purple. "One day," the lucario snarled quietly so Jenny would not hear "but not now. Thanks for declining the offer politely. I would have… given a more colorful response."

"One including a black eye or two? In any case, the offer was not mine to accept. As I told you many times, if you ever want to you are free to go."

"As I told you many times, I made my choice when I first called you master." Luke stopped for a moment and then continued. "I have never questioned that decision. Can we please talk about something else?"

And so they did.

* * *

**An hour later...**

Chris, Luke and Robbin remained seated (or perched) at the restaurant table. Jenny had just left after having paid for their meal. Chris' phone vibrated. It read: Secure text, decrypt?

He pushed yes and typed in the password. A moment later the message appeared.

Albatross- Thirdeye kidnapped. Go to Goldenrod ASAP. Details to follow. –Cypher.

Chris pocketed the phone.

"Trouble?" Luke grunted.

"Yes, the problem is similar to this morning's incident unfortunately the stakes are much higher." Chris responded carefully in case someone was eavesdropping on their discussion.

"Think the mysterious group from this morning is involved?"

"I do not know yet. Either way our vacation is over."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading my first fanfiction. Hopefully this summer I will be able to continue this into my next story. Special thanks to dbzespio, ScotSniper, and BlueVoltorb for their great stories which inspired me to write down and publish my own. If you enjoyed my story please review, favorite, or follow it. Scroll below for a short trailer for my next story.  
**

* * *

**Trailer: Next time, Mewtwo (call sign "Thirdeye") has been captured by Team Galactic and our heroes will need to work together with the fire master's team in order to rescue Mewtwo and stop the threat. But what is this threat and is it already too late?  
**


End file.
